Liang Chen's gaze remained on the planet beneath him for a bit, his gaze not revealing any of his emotions. This was once his home, it was where he had grown up and where he had taken his first steps on the path of cultivation. Even now that there was nothing left for him on the planet did he find himself a tad bit emotional as he was about to leave it, especially since it was uncertain if he would ever return here.
But Liang Chen had been through a lot and was thus able to quickly reign in his emotions. He gave the planet one last look and then crouched down to give Yumao's head a few pats.
"Let's go, the nearest branch of the Heaven's Secrets Company isn't too fa..."
Liang Chen stopped his words before he could finish his sentence, one of his eyebrows rising in surprise. He could feel the Bloodwind Code in his chest vibrating slightly as it released a soft buzz, a sign that someone was trying to contact him through it. He was a bit confused by this as his rank or title hadn't increased lately so Ye Zhong shouldn't really have a reason to contact him. But when the buzzing stopped and a voice rang out in his mind, it was from the person that he least expected.
"It seems like you've finished your business here, but don't leave just yet."
It wasn't the voice of Ye Zhong that came from the Bloodwind Code, no, it was the voice of Bloodwind Emperor Ning Hao, the creator of the Bloodwind Codes. Liang Chen couldn't even think of a reason why Ye Zhong would contact him so he was even less capable of coming up with a reason as to why Ning Hao would bother contacting him.
And looking at the timing at which he contacted him and how he started his sentence, it even seemed like Ning Hao had been keeping half an eye on Liang Chen and waiting for him to finish up what he was doing. Liang Chen didn't say anything, waiting with bated breath for Ning Hao to tell him why he was contacting him.
"I'll say it straight, you're an anomaly that shouldn't really exist. The law of the void shouldn't, and technically doesn't, exist, and this fact is messing with the system of the Bloodwind Codes. It's a law that stands at the very zenith of all existence so your title should have increased drastically the moment you acquired it, that's how great its potential is. But as the law doesn't really exist, the Bloodwind Code can't pick it up and thus refuses to increase your title. I could manually increase your title, but I imagine you don't want all the added attention, and infamy, that would come with that, especially since you're heading for one of the major universes soon. So I'll make it simple for you. Ye Zhong said that you had some people that you wanted to bring back, give me two names and I will bring them back for you, consider it me trying to uphold the fairness of my Bloodwind Codes."
Liang Chen's breath caught in his throat and his heart skipped several beats when he heard Ning Hao's straightforward statement. Normally he would have to acquire the King title on the multiverse list within the Bloodwind Code to receive this opportunity but now Ning Hao was offering it to him on a silver platter.
From the looks of it, Liang Chen had somehow still underestimated how big of a deal his new law of the void actually was, even Ning Hao was giving him some special consideration after he acquired it. His heart swiftly started hammering in his chest, his voice trembling and stuttering slightly from excitement as he responded.
"My parents, Qing Fa... Feng and Qing Lan! I know you only said two names, but please, include my sister Qing Chun!"
Bringing back his parents had been one of Liang Chen's dearest wishes ever since they were executed, hardly a day went by where he didn't think about it. He couldn't help but become a bit giddy upon thinking that the wish was about to be fulfilled. A faint stream of energy entered Liang Chen's body from the Bloodwind Code, Ning Hao's voice sounding out shortly after.
"I said two but you ask for three, you're a bit greedy, aren't you? Well, then again, most of the bastards up here are usu..."
Ning Hao's voice trailed off before he could finish his sentence, it was as if he suddenly became somewhat hesitant. The thumping of Liang Chen's heart couldn't help but turn even more violent due to this silence, but the now slightly low voice of Ning Hao sounded out again before Liang Chen could say anything.
"Your foster parents and your non-blood related sister weren't cultivators but rather normal people? They didn't even have any strong or rare bloodlines?"
Ning Hao phrased his words like questions, if somewhat oddly when it came to Qing Chun, but it was clear that he had already gotten an answer to them, it was likely that the faint stream of energy from earlier allowed Ning Hao to give Liang Chen's memories a quick read. Ning Hao's voice once again sounded out in his head before Liang Chen could produce a response, this time starting with a soft sigh.
"Come, let me take you to them."
Space around Liang Chen suddenly cracked open and swallowed both him and Yumao, dragging them into a pitch-black space. They only remained within this pitch-black space for a short second before the darkness cracked open and spat them out. The two appeared in the air above a neat little village surrounded by farmlands separated into a few different sections based on what sort of animals lived there or what sort of crops were being grown. Ning Hao's voice sounded out again, directing Liang Chen.
"Farm to the northwest, the one with the light brown cows and the dark yellow wheat."
Liang Chen turned his head in the mentioned direction and swiftly found the farm that Ning Hao pointed him towards. When his gaze focused on the farm he could see three people walking around on the path that separated the wheat field and the plain where the cows grazed, his heart jumping up into his throat.
A man with a rugged figure and strong features that looked like they had been carved from stone, deeply tanned skin, black eyes, and brown hair that hung down to his shoulders. A tall and mature woman with clear blue eyes, smooth skin, a delicate figure, and black hair that hung all the way down to her waist. A young girl who looked no older than five or six years old with chestnut brown hair, clear blue eyes, somewhat strong features, and a joyful smile on her face.
Their appearances were slightly different, almost as if they had been marked by prolonged time spent out in the fields. But even so, he could easily recognize them, his chest ached and longed just from looking at them. They were without a doubt his parents, Qing Feng and Qing Lan, and the one he considered his sister, Qing Chun.
But even though his chest ached upon seeing them happily walking along the earthen path, the strangeness of the scene, especially their ages, didn't escape his notice. Luckily it seemed like Ning Hao had been expecting his confusion, swiftly offering an explanation.
"The weaker one is the faster they reincarnate, Qing Chun reincarnated a mere three days after her death. This is a Major Universe in an infant multiverse located on the other side of the Sphere of Existence, it needs more souls to grow properly so most of the people that have died in the last ten thousand or so years have ended up reincarnating here. The Sphere of Existence sensed the ties between these three people and brought them all together here, a sort of consolation for reincarnating them so far away from their original home. Time in the Sphere of Existence doesn't move at the same speed everywhere, it's easier for the Sphere of Existence to control the birth and death of some multiverses if it temporarily alters the flow of time in some places. This infant multiverse is one such place. For you it might not have been very long, but your parents have already lived here for 35 years, and five years ago they gave birth to their healthy little daughter. I'm sorry, but I cannot revive those that aren't dead. But if you want me to, then I can awaken the memories of their past life for you."
Liang Chen's gaze remained locked on the three people as Ning Hao spoke. The two parents walked at the edge of the earthen path, the young child walking between them and holding onto one hand from each parent. Her hands were swinging happily and her mouth was opening and closing incessantly, she seemed to be talking rapidly about something, her lips curved into a smile.
Liang Chen studied the faces of the three people, his gaze lingering on all of the small differences between their current appearances and the appearances they once had. The most notable difference he noticed was the light in their eyes, it was a bit calmer and more carefree than he could remember it.
The throbbing in his chest slowly subsided, but the aching remained, only now it was for a different reason. He took his eyes off of the three people and raised his head to look at the vast blue sky above him, his voice so low that it was nearly a whisper when he finally spoke.
"...No need, they finally have peace, I would just bring ruin if I arrived. Can I change my wish? You don't have to revive anyone for me, but please make sure that the three of them can continue to live in peace, make sure that they never get hurt. They all suffered and died because of me, they deserve to be happy at least in this life."
Liang Chen's voice had lost nearly all power, his shoulders drooping as he looked at the sky, not daring to look at the happy family. He could ask Ning Hao to bring back Yan Ling's father and two siblings, but other than the fact that they might also have reincarnated already he also knew that Yan Ling wanted to be the one to bring them back, she didn't want to have to constantly rely on Liang Chen. Yumao raised his own head and rubbed it against Liang Chen's stomach to comfort him, the voice of Ning Hao echoing out within his mind again.
"Aye, I can promise you that on my title as the Bloodwind Emperor. Do you want to stay here a bit longer?"
The voice of Ning Hao contained traces of sympathy and pity as he spoke, Liang Chen guessed that even someone as mighty as him had suffered a bit in his lifetime. Liang Chen didn't lower his head as he shook it, turning away from the village beneath him.
"No... please take me back."
There was nothing for him here, the thing he had dreamed of and desired to get back was already gone, it would never be his again, they would never return to him. Space around Liang Chen cracked open into the pitch-black space again, swallowing his powerless and deflated frame.